One of a kind Bears by Bill Stewart

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Here's the group pic of the Stewart EXP/Proto Bears, almost in order by year. I left the reverse accent stripe 63 next to the 61's for comparison. Thanks for the help with identifying and getting some of the descriptions more complete.  

For those who have not seen it, there are alot more pics and details about these bows in the Bear-ied Treasure thread. Here's a link  http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=002798

 I'm still having a really hard time picking a favorite out of this amazing group.

[SlowBowke]

Thanks for sharing all of these and this photo as well. None of us will ever see the likes of it again...nor will anyone else ever hope to.

The 1960 is such a BEAUT..it would be my first pick of the litter for a bow to show off. To hunt with one (or all three, lol) of the K Hunters. That grip has my curiousity up and the one with the "dogleg" looking face of the sight window (furthest right of the three) is awesome.

The little 62 would run a close, VERY close 3rd and if I had it in hand might jump to second!!

That said, there isn't a one that isnt a piece of history any of us would be proud to own and show to others.

Please forgive me but...

A suggestion? I would make SEVERAL copies of GOOD blown up hard copy photos of the group, maybe even ONE PER BOW?

I'm sure you are already logging all the info somewhere to save but the photo thing I think worth risking your poor thoughts of me, to suggest it.


100 years from now the photos and descriptions will still be in play!

Thank you once again.
God bless

[Wade Phillips]

Greg, Wonderful photograph of the line up of Bill Stewart's EXP/Proto Bears. It was great to have you post photographs of each bow and to have everyone go over each bow.

Steve is correct, when we are all gone, all that may remain are the photographs and descriptions, plus hopefully the artifacts themselves.

While everyone will have their favorite based on their individual collecting interests, hands down my favorite is the Clear Glass, Multi-Laminated, 1960 Kodiak Special.

In the future, I hope you will be able to add to this collection of Experimentals, which is truly a unique and interesting field of collecting Bear bows.

[TonyW]

Wade - where are we going? I plan to stick around for a while. I heard that it gets real hot down there.

[Grant Young]

Thanks Greg, this is a great thumbnail illustration of the kind of behind-the-scenes activity at Bear Archery in its heyday. These guys weren't just manufacturing a product every day; they were pushing the envelope for a better bow with the same intensity as was evidenced in the massive output from the factory floor. RnD really meant something at Bear, as this display proves. Keep after them. Grant

[johnnyrazorhead]

What a wonderful piece of Bear Archery/Bill Stewart history.Thanks very much for sharing and I agree,some nice,high quality photos of all the bows together and individually would be great to preserve these wonderful items.No wonder the Grayling bows are so sought after,they really were works of art from their inception right through to the manufacture of them.Ah,the good old days along the banks of the Au Sable River.

[seboomook]

That was a rare treat to follow the unveiling of this group. I'm so glad they are in your hands, available for display and apreciation from both current and future collectors. Thanks a ton.

[TimberlineX]

Just amazing!

We have all wondered how Bear Archery managed to effectively change its bow models, like the Kodiak, every year.  Here’s proof of the continual out-of-the-box thinking and back-room experimenting that must have proceeded all of those many changes.

I wonder how many more EXP. bows were simply cut up and the pieces thrown in the trash bin because one thing or another didn’t work, or Fred didn’t like the look? I’ll bet it was lots.

[Ted Fry]

Totally awesome Greg, they look good all polished up! Glad to have someone with as much passion as you with this important piece of history, wish we could have saved more of the items from the shop.

[kurtbel5]

I was lucky enough to shoot the one Ted has, a Bill Stewart EXP with multi cam limbs,I feel very lucky to be able to even hold it, much less string and shoot it.

Impression's? very smooth, very quite,I took 6 shots and liked the way it shot, I stopped because it was only getting more comfortable. lol
Great history for sure!!

Course Sasha's bow was pretty awesome to!!

[Ted Fry]

Don't worry Greg I wiped all of Kurt's drool off of the Stewart/Bear.

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Steve Wade John   Thanks for the suggestion. I have so many digitals of them it's rediculous, but almost no hard copies at all. I'll get started on that asap. I have a couple sets with diferent backgrounds that look alot better than the shiny dark wood set.

Wade  I also hope a few more EXP's can be added to fill in some of the gaps.

Bill   Here's a quote from a Bill Stewart interview by Doug Walker in National Bowhunter in 1998,
  "Question: The famous Kodiaks and Grizzly bows - how did you come up with that design?  Answer: The Bear bows of this time were straight through the handle and limb section, and with a static ridgid recurve.
    I designed a handle with a forward deflex and the limbs reflexed with a semi-working recurve. After numerous experimental models, came out with a nice performing bow."
   This is a great interview if you ever get a chance to read it. Short but to the point.

While I researched Mr. Stewarts work and the bows he had created and kept together all those years, I was impressed by how many times the catalog description included references to " the Bear laboratory, after years of research and testing, from the hands of Bears master bowyer etc..."

I think the R&D dept. at Bear was a pretty happening place back in these days.

Ted    they didn't take much polishing the way Mr. Stewart put them away. Just a little soap and water and a light coat of Renaissance wax(Thanks Sandy! for everything!!)

Ooooh! I hope you got that drool off quikly!... Could you rub a little wax on it for me so I can sleep?lol

Thanks everyone!  I'm really thankful for this place and this group of people. Greg

[kurtbel5]

Greg and Ted that was not drool!!lol

[Grant Young]

Ahhhh, MAN.Say no more Kurt,LOL.

[johnnyrazorhead]

EWWWWW! Not cool.

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Ohhh Kurt! That's funny stuff right there.....ah,Ted... instead of wax, how about a Lysol wipe, just in case.

[kurtbel5]

You did not see the bow John

[TonyW]

ttt

[mangonboat]

Related to this thread, there is a Bill Stewart Signature SN 0074 signed "cam bow" nearly identical to the 1965 experimental models shown here, on the big auction site of all places????

[marc5961]

Please bear with me, in that I have minimal knowledge about recurve bows. I am looking for info as the value of two recurve bows that I believe are Bear bows manufactured in the '60s. Neither have the “Bear” medallion. Both have some field use, but are in nearly new condition.

 The first bow is inscribed “EXP#6 AMO – 68” 34#” with a Bear sight inset into the upper limb bearing the words BEAR and PAT. PEND. The bow has yellowish- white laminate on both the front and back sides – the yellow may be from aging.

 The second bow is inscribed “EXP#7 AMO – 58” 40#”. In that the inscription appears to be in the same script as that above, I assume it also is a Bear bow. The bow has black or very, very dark green laminate on both the front and back sides.